Do the Right Thing (1989)
(Spike Lee, US 1989, 120 min., 35mm)
The publicity surrounding the release of this movie milestone divided commentators about whether it offered insight or added agit-prop to the ongoing race relations debate. What was ignored amid all the hoopla were the many pleasures of the film, from its free-form style to its vivid characterizations to its first-rate cinematography by Ernest Dickerson. Do the Right Thing does not provide easy answers; its ending is a contemplative recognition of the complexity and tenacity of American racism.
Spike Lee’s movie milestone examines the complexities of race relations during a particularly hot 24-hour period in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The cast includes Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Danny Aiello, John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, and the writer/director himself as Mookie. “At a time when too many filmmakers shy away from controversy or politics, Spike Lee hits you with his best shot”. - Jack Garner